Reddit mentions: The best vacuum sealer bags

Thanks! No blog, but what are you looking for? I generally tell people it's not actually about the recipes themselves (which is counter-intuitive), because everyone has a different palette & likes different things, it's more about:

1. Building up your own personal recipe database
   
2. Creating macros for that
   
3. Dividing up the macros for that meal or snack to fit your macros for the day
   
   This is the macro calculator I usually use for recipes:
   
   https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
   
   I typically set the serving size to "1" (one) and then set the serving size again to the standard size (ex. 24 brownies), that way if I want to cut 20 larger brownies in the future, I can just do the math on my smartphone, because I have the macros for both the whole recipe & for the standard serving size.
   
   Once you learn how to calculate your own macros (using a calculator, buy a scale, adopt a meal-prep system, etc.), the world is your oyster, because with IIFYM, you can make any recipe out there fit your diet! I do use a handful of modern tools to help me cook; in particular:
   
   
4. Scale
   
5. Instant Pot
   
6. Sous Vide
   
7. Vacuum-sealer (with these bags & these scissors to cut the plastic bags)
   
8. Baking Steel
   
9. Inverter microwave with Sensor Reheat (large or small)
   
10. Deep freezer (typically goes on sale for ~$629 FYI, and because it's an energy-efficient model, only costs ~$5 a month to run)
    
    That scale is the newer version of what I have. You can find cheaper versions for like $15 on Amazon, but I like this one because it does both imperial & metric (so whether the recipe calls for ounces or grams) & has a pull-out display for when you're measuring stuff in a bowl, like say chopped chicken - super convenient!
    
    The Instant Pot is an electronic pressure cooker (nice & safe, won't blow up like the old ones!) that gives repeatable results & cooks food mostly automatically; also great for liquidy meals like stews, chilis, soups, and bisques, for which I storage batches with Souper Cubes. Sous Vide is a bit more of an in-depth discussion (we can chat about that if you're not familiar!), but it basically involves vacuum-sealing your food (primarily meat & some veggies) & cooking them slowly underwater for perfect results every time. The vacuum-sealer is great for use with sous-vide (I vac-seal nearly all of my meats & stick them in my freezer) & also for storing leftovers, like shredded chicken & pulled pork.
    
    The Baking Steel is an amazing device that lets you cook incredible pizzas at home, as well as various breads (I do a lot of no-knead breads, which, if you haven't been introduced to that, is SUPER easy & gives you amazing results!). The Inverter microwave is a newer microwave design that can actually module the power level (most microwaves only operate at like, full power, and "blink" it on & off to simulate a different power level). The main difference with an inverter model, and this one in particular, is the the "sensor reheat" feature, which actually does a ridiculously good job of figuring out how to reheat your food properly, instead of just being hot & rubbery on the outside & still frozen in the middle. The deep freeze speaks for itself...just a place to store my raw & cooked food; I get huge costs-savings because I can buy food in bulk, vac-seal it, and freeze it literally for years.
    
    Now, keep in mind, this is all stuff I've built up over years of cooking, so first, don't feel pressured to buy anything, and second, don't feel like you need to get everything all at once. I enjoy cooking, but most of the time, cooking is a chore, and anything I can do to make that chore easier means that I'll do it more consistently because it's not such a hassle. Like, I can dump an 8-pound pork shoulder (bone removed & chopped into fist-sized chunks) with 1/2 a cup of water into my Instant Pot basket, set it for 70 minutes on Manual, dump it into my electric mixer bowl & shred it in about 60 seconds, let it cool down, and then vacuum-seal up 8 one-pound packages of pulled pork, which is good for 2 to 3 years in my freezer (vac-seal = no air = no freezer burn!). I can then use that pulled pork for BBQ pulled pork sandwiches, quesadillas, loaded baked potatoes, etc. & calculate my macros based off the quantity that I use.
    
    A lot of people take the meal-prep approach of making 25 trays of the same food, but man, I get pretty sick of eating the same thing all the time, haha! So that's why I use appliances (to make it easy) & picked up a deep freezer (to store raw & cooked foods in). Again, most people are pretty shocked when they start tracking how much they truly, actually spend on food every month - everything from grabbing snacks at the gas station convenience store to the extra goodies you get at the grocery store to the quick take-out stuff you get for lunch or on the way home - and once I realized how much I was spending, it was pretty easy to justify some home kitchen equipment purchases over time to help me in both saving money in the long-term & in hitting my macros.
    
    Once you get a personal recipe database built up & create an efficient workflow, IIFYM is actually fairly easy to stick with. I literally eat better than anyone I know & have a better (lower) food budget than most people I know. As far as eating schedules, you can do one meal a day, three meals a day, six meals a day, doesn't matter, as long as you hit your macro numbers for the day! I like to do 7 "meals" (more like snacks, really), as I have reactive hypoglycemia & find that eating smaller meals every few hours does a better job of keeping my energy up than just 3 big meals a day.
    
    part 1/3

Rice will poke holes in your bags. Most dry stock like beans and rice do just fine in a mylar bag. We put 30 lbs at a time in 5 gallon mylar bags inside food grade 5 gallon buckets with gamma seal lids. They stack and hold a lot. Easy to carry and the gamma seal lids for ease of portioning. We also tape an unused razor to the underside of the gamma lid to open the bag if needed.

In the past we vac sealed small amounts (2 - 3 US LBS) but quickly upgraded and I'll tell you the rice will not stay sealed.

We seal Fels-Naptha to keep it fresh and water tight. We do the same for washing soap. One bar of favorite soap on top with one clean wash cloth. We vac seal meats for the freezer and the normal uses but for the most part I would stay away from dry goods like beans unless you are a single prepper, then that might just be the best way...except rice and spikey pastas....just don't waste the bags!

Also if you are going to vac seal, we use a FoodSaver brand vac seal and it has done literally thousands of heat seals and around half that in actual vac/seals. You heat seal the one side first then the other side is where it sucks air out then seals when the air is expelled. 2:1

The bags on the other hand we purchase from a vendor on Amazon. The rolls do not fit in our vac sealer and have to be cut by hand, however the difference in price per foot is worth it for us!

Good luck! Well done thinking of your future and taking action!

I have the basic model found at target. I got it about a month ago, dont remember the exact cost but I think it was somewhere around $55-65. Also got the [jar sealer] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00005TN7H/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_9WXjyb40EXJ9H) attachment and about 4 dozen jars divided amongst quart, pint & half, and pint sized.

I loaded up on these bags: [Commercial Bargains 2 Pack 11" x 50' and 8" x 50'] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GG5I5AK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_ASXjybDZAJ08T)

The 8" perfectly fit my burritos. I'd say I'm using about 6 inches per burrito so if I'm careful I'll get at least 100 burritos out of a $12 roll. Also you can use regular ziploc freezer if you trim off their zip lock seal. The vacuum doesn't agree with the thin ziploc bags every time but it's surely good enough for freezer burritos.

Very true, I'm going to link some of my equipment that I love feel free to ask questions. The pre cut bags are amazing because my portion size is consistent due to the constant container size that is/was the real game changer


FoodSaver B016C4KK20 Vacuum Sealer GM2050-000 GameSaver Outdoorsman Sealing System, kkkk Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B016C4KK20/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_DxZWCbEAB17ZX


Enther Meal Prep Containers [20... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0742KGQG8?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share


Enther Meal Prep Containers [20... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0742M47V5?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

100 Gallon Vacuum Sealer Storage Bags for Food Saver, Seal a Meal Vac Sealers, 11" x 16" Size, BPA Free, Heavy Duty Commercial Grade, Sous Vide Vaccume Safe, Universal Design Pre-Cut Bag Avid Armor https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01H0WLQA8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_HMNWCb5E77H5M

Another foodsaver container I like is this 4-piece set of vacuum Containers

It has a rubber button on top to let you know that it's holding a vacuum and so far I haven't had any leaks (Though if the seals get dirty I've heard a good fix is to use a q-tip to lube them with canola/olive oil to clean/grease them.)

The 4 sizes make it easy to store a variety of things (The tall one can pretty much hold an entire sliced up canteloupe or pineapple) and they're easy to wash. As with all plastic containers, don't hold tomato sauce in it because lycopene breaks down the plastic. I haven't had that issue with these containers, but I play it safe.

Full disclosure, I didn't pay full price for it. I had it in my amazon wishlist for a while and it went on sale in January. I managed to get the set for $41.68. Totally worth it.

Also, another good deal on the plastic is this. They're only 8 inches wide as opposed to 11 inches, but you get two 50' rolls for $20

Edit: better deal on the 11" rolls. Two 11"x50' rolls for $17.07

Best bags I've ever bought


FoodVacBags 100 Quart Size 8X12 Vacuum Sealer Storage Bags, BPA Free, Commercial Grade, Easy to use -presealed on 3 sides, Better inch-per-inch value than rolls https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DSST17O/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_4OHvyb3VDKD7R

We only prep protein at this point bc we just didn't have the freezer space. We typically do steam packs for veggies and salads for lunch and dinner twice a week.

this is the second one we bought. It works well on the cheaper bags, but something to be careful about this one doesn't seal as completely on the "regular" setting if there's pretty much any fat the gets sucked up. The "moist" setting does seal better. We didn't realize this was what was happening at first. When we first got it, we'd have intermittent bags that looked sealed but then when we took it out of the freezer it was re-inflated slightly and freezer burned (no bueno)

FoodSaver FM2435-ECR Vacuum Sealing System with Bonus Handheld Sealer and Starter Kit, Silver https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01C464ZCQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_XI6ezbBHFQ7J3

This is the first one we bought but it overheats if you move & seal too many bags in quick succession. When this happens, it stops sucking air out (but still will seal the bag). It seals wet / fatty foods better, though. It's has a bit more wastage with the plastic then the FoodSaver, but the hopper for the bags is slightly larger:

Nesco VS-02 Food Vacuum Sealing System with Bag Starter Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IUAK39A/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Jw7ezb9ESJYWS

These are the bags we've used the last few times:
Two 8"X50' Rolls of FoodVacBags 4 mil Commercial Grade Vacuum Sealer Bags - Make Your Own Size Bag! - for Foodsaver, Seal-A-Meal, plus other machines https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CPS32MI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_yy7ezb2ZQEJ6S

Go to www.camelcamelcamel.com and paste the addresses in to see how the prices trend out. The FoodSaver we got on sale for just shy of $100.

The way I read his post, I thought he was referring to a roll which is full-width (about 11", 28cm), but which is cut-to-length.

So not cutting them in any special way to make them wider, for instance, but merely cutting off a long piece, and using that to provide the size that's needed.

This seemed like the most practical approach to me too. I believe there are wider vacuum sealers, but they are uncommon and expensive. The simplest thing, I believe, will be to use a long piece from a roll.

Now, Foodsaver does sell special, extra-large bag rolls. This material is pleated, so it can expand, while still being sealed in a normal-width vacuum sealer. And you can still cut them to the required length:

Foodsaver Expandable Rolls

$31 for (2) rolls, each 11" wide by 16 feet long, so somewhat more expensive than normal, but maybe they'd help you accommodate bulky things, if just an extra-long bag isn't enough.

Buy a vacuum sealer. If I see a particularly good deal on meat, vegetables, etc, I'll buy a bunch and vacuum pack it. Definitely one of the best investments in a while. I don't know that it's paid for itself monetarily quite yet, but it's probably close, and is well worth it for the amount of time it's saved me.

It only takes an hour or so to blanch a ton of broccoli/cauliflower, or to slice up a big ham hock (some places will even slice it for you) and vacuum seal it.

Not only does this save you money, but it's very convenient. Now instead of having to go grocery shopping every week for a ton of stuff, you can just pull some meats/vegetables out of the freezer a day or so ahead of time, and cook it.

I bought these and they work great and last me a while (sounds like you may use them a little more though):

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CQ8IXIK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_KijWzbQB5FBWF

The nice part with the rolls is you can use as much or as little as you want. Good deal, especially if you have prime.

Another thought - if you can afford to spend a bit more on the sealer, definitely go for one that can handle liquid. I definitely regret not spending a little bit more on my first. Even just for foods/meats with some extra juices or a marinade it's a huge bonus. There are ways to work around it, but it can be a pain.

Regarding the sous vide - you can definitely use a normal pot. The poly carbonate containers are nice, but I didn't buy one until I had been using SV for a few months.

I used to only use the Food Saver bags, and they work fine, but yeah, they're expensive. Last year I bought a pack of these premade bags and haven't had any issues. Premade bags are nice because I don't find myself trying to save a few cents by making a bag as small as possible, or put excess wear on the machine by sealing the end. Also have one less seal to worry about leaking. I still have a roll around for when I need bigger bags, but premade 3rd party is the way to go.

Not OP but I am using these this year for a ten pound rib roast, I'm sure it'll fit a turkey but the instructions do say to do two seals and I will double bag it to make sure I don't ruin an expensive piece of meat.

FoodSaver 11" x 16' Expandable Heat-Seal Rolls, 2-Pack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00851QSDO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_axP3Db1H31T26

I get mine though amazon. I like the nutri-lock ones: Vacuum Sealers Unlimited - Two 50 Foot Rolls (1-8" & 1-11") Thicker, Heavy-Duty Commercial Grade Textured Vacuum Sealer Bags For Foodsaver etc - BPA Free & FDA Approved https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CTE7OPI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_mLBRDb4SCHX9S
My dealer can handle up to 15” bags so I get those for turkeys. However, they do sell 11” gusseted bags: Foodsaver 11" x 18' GameSaver Expandable Vacuum Bag Rolls, 2-Pack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AL2AV2O/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_7NBRDbKZGYJRE

I love my Gamesaver (link on amazon). Be sure to buy the mega-rolls of third party bags, they are tremendously cheaper. (example)

https://www.amazon.com/FoodVacBags-Storage-Commercial-presealed-inch-per-inch/dp/B00DSST17O/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1493730249&sr=8-3&keywords=vacuum+seal+bags

these are the ones I use, got a cheapo vac sealer off amazon for like 30 bucks. works like a champ.

if I do anything with liquid, it goes into a ziplock. but honestly, I rarely do anything with liquids.

I use a Foodsaver V2222 (I think it’s discontinued now), but any cheap vacuum sealer will work fine. I third using the cheap non-foodsaver brand rolls. I have these rolls and they work great. One seal down the middle then seal about 4-5 inches down and you have a bag. I just packaged 10 lbs of pellets last weekend and barely made a dent in it. You can also determine bag size with the rolls for packaging smaller quantities.

I made ChefSteps brisket and used these bags to seal a 15Lb Brisket. It was tight and I double sealed the ends to be safe but it held perfectly.

I like the FoodSaver brand. I had one for 7+ years and only replaced it because they came out with a "Game Saver" model that does more consecutive seals without having to rest the machine. The base model FM2000 is like $80. The base model Game Saver GM2050 is $76 right now.
Neither has the thingie to cut a bag from a roll or store the roll which wouldn't matter if you don't use it a lot. Just cut with scissors. I sprung the extra and got the GM710-000-GameSaver.

I have used other brands and they were ok. My "seal a meal" was good but not wasn't durable enough for me and the off brand I had was inconsistent at sealing.

I have used all different brands of bags and not noticed a difference so I get whatever 11x50 inch rolls are a good price. Right now I have these.

Needle probe

https://www.amazon.com/ThermoPro-TP-08S-Wireless-Thermometer-Grilling/dp/B014DAVHSQ/ref=mp_s_a_1_fkmr3_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1538423301&sr=8-2-fkmr3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=needle+probe+remote+thermometer

Weatherstrip Foam Tape (any kind that is ok for marine use is ok in water)

https://www.amazon.com/Gourd-Elasticity-Adhesive-All-Climate-Weatherstrip/dp/B079NM8758/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1538423423&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=weatherstrip+tape&dpPl=1&dpID=51TZsf6d9SL&ref=plSrch

VacMaster Bulk Bags (split the order with a friend, haha!)


https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00AZ7SPBO/ref=mp_s_a_1_43_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1538423597&sr=8-43&keywords=vacuum+sealer+bags+bulk&dpPl=1&dpID=41naTidMejL&ref=plSrch

Not all bags are created equal. For example, these bags (Commercial Bargains 2 Jumbo 11" x 50' Commercial Vacuum Sealer Saver Bags Sous Vide Food Storage https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I1OM7TO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_yi.iybJDJ3R7Y) are the most popular on Amazon but the rolls I received were crap. The texture that creates the channels allowing air to escape was not consistent and often the exact scenario OP described would happen. Also about 1/3 through the first roll I started having issues with the vacuum not being maintained long term. Turned out there was a tiny, pin-prick hole punched through the roll. Just enough to allow the vacuum seal to leak over a period of days.

For what it's worth I purchased these (2-Pack WESTON 11"x50' Rolls Commercial Grade Vacuum Bags 3mil Vacuum Seal Rolls https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00H8AL9DW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Li.iybC2V86JA) based on several recommendations in this sub Reddit. The texture is much more pronounced and so far they seem to work great.

Yeah just make sure you buy your vacuum sealer bags on amazon. They're like half the price of name brand and work very well.

ah gotcha , thanks for the link I'll look into these vs the ones I'm using: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CQ8IXIK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Good to know that I won't need the marinade mode either. I guess when the liquid reaches the top, 90%+ of the air is out anyways.

Yea might be a good idea. I like these bags. “FoodVacBags”. I have a sealer but don’t seal every time. Depends what I’m cooking and what temp.

Foodsaver compatible FoodVacBags 100 Quart Size 8x12-inch Vacuum Sealer Storage Bags, BPA Free, Commercial Grade, Heavy Duty, Sous Vide https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DSST17O/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_NJF.zbTZTFHH7

I find the plastic to be generally pretty cheap. Amazon has 48 feet for $33 of the brand name stuff, and the off-brand stuff is even cheaper. We save way more than that when buying in bulk, especially meat.

Edit: Fixed link.

I have a seal-a-meal almost identical to this one: http://www.amazon.com/Rival-Vacuum-Sealer/dp/B004JPU6XI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1374599432&sr=8-1&keywords=rival+vacuum+sealer

I got it many years ago and use it fairly often. Never really had an issues with it. This is the only one I've ever used, but it seals everything perfectly.

Unnecessary risks to your body and equipment. End all of this nonsense and spend the best $57 of your sous vide career.

Vacuum Sealer Machine for Food Preservation, Villsure Food Sealer Automatic Vacuum Sealing System with Hose Attachment and Sealing Bags Starter Kit, Fresh Up to 5x Longer https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07RHD3XS6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_W6BuDbXJPTZ7Y

Nutri-Lock Vacuum Sealer Bags. 2 Rolls 11x50 and 8x50. Commercial Grade Bag Rolls for FoodSaver and Sous Vide https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LCKD5QW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_n8BuDbK22XX7R

Awkwardsoul has good comments here, but I'll add that there are bags that are not branded Foodsaver, so they are very cheap, and just as good quality....these are all that I use.

8" wide

11" wide

I get these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GG5I5AK/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

They are, like you mentioned, textured on just one side, but I've been very pleased with them. I vacuum packed and froze several steaks in January and their still maintaining their vacuum. I've yet to experience any ruptures or seals that won't hold.

I've bought these gallon, quart, and pint bags from Amazon. They work great.

Tupperware is still easier and cheaper for short term refrigerator storage. The rolls can be expensive if you don't catch them on sale. A good box store sale price on thispack would be around $25. And that's a lot of storage. I use a Foodsaver model. I'm sure there's fancier equipment out there but it works fine for me and compatible bags are always available. Mine is mostly used for hoarding meat and storing my smoked steelhead. Properly sealed and frozen meat should last at least a year if not significantly longer. We recently did a big batch of squash soup in the vitamix and vacuumed and froze nearly a gallon of leftovers. And my girlfriend's dad packs and stores his weed with a Foodsaver. Very handy tool.

We usually cook multiple butts at the same time. Then shred & portion them out into vacuum pack bags. They warm up very nice.
I buy these rolls on Amazon, they last quite a while.
Commercial Bargains 2 Jumbo 11" x 50' Commercial Vacuum Sealer Saver Bags Sous Vide Food Storage https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I1OM7TO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_GyRXDbP21BFHD

FoodVacBags 2-pack 11X50 Rolls Vacuum Sealer Bags - $19.89 with Free Shipping

Save money by buying hops in bulk. Keep them fresh with a vacuum sealer and these bags.

^1/9/2017 ^4:12pm ^EST

I've had success with FoodVacBags off Amazon: http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CQ8IXIK/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I'm not the person you're replying to, but I usually buy my generic bags on Amazon—something like these or these. They've always worked fine for me; the only hitch is that the rolls are much larger than the Foodsaver brand rolls (because they're 50 feet long by 11 inches wide, as opposed to 16' x 11"), and the lid of the roll compartment won't close if I put a whole roll there. The first few times, I unspooled about a third of the new roll and wrapped it around the cardboard tube from an old roll of Foodsaver bags. That worked, but now I'm lazy and just let the lid stay open with the huge roll sort of perched in there.

I bought these; they've been working great.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CQ8IXIK/

There's a lot of different brands, I've had luck with this brand.

Sorry, that's the 8" version. Check the Amazon suggestions for 11".

2 50ft rolls for $18 USD.

I use these. They work perfect.

I think these are fine: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CQ8IXIK To me they feel better than the FoodSaver brand

Foodsaver makes expandable bags for items as large as a turkey, etc. I haven’t used them yet but they’re on my list for holiday cooking.

FoodSaver 11" x 16' Expandable Heat-Seal Rolls, 2-Pack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00851QSDO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_wHiBDb6N6JFDK

The FoodSaver bags are pretty expensive.

I bought two 11x50' rolls for $18 and I can't tell the difference between them and the FoodSaver brand bags.

I think that the generic bags my husband purchased were half the price of the foodsaver branded bags. Now that I am reading the description on amazon, it says they were for a 'commercial' grade food saver, so this sounds like user error on our part. 2 Pack - 11" x 50' Vacuum Sealer Rolls Food Storage Saver Commercial Grade Bag for Foodsaver and Sous Vide (total 100 feet)

https://www.amazon.com/Pack-Vacuum-Storage-Commercial-Foodsaver/dp/B01K07MZBO/ref=sr_1_6?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1536974284&sr=1-6&keywords=foodsaver+bags

They seem to works great, other than the rolls being too big.

These just came in. Seems like a fantastic price. I have only sealed a few things with them so far but I have not had any issues at all with them.

KOIOS Vacuum Sealer Machine,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FM3J6JF?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

This is the one I bought, I also picked up
FoodVacBags 2-pack 11X50 Rolls... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CQ8IXIK?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

It set me back about 80 with tax including the extra rolls, comes with some prepare bags and the vacuum line for containers as well. It doesn’t hold a roll, but I haven’t been bothered by that at all to date. It has wet/dry, vacuum+seal, and seal buttons on it and I love it. Mind you this is AFTER I listened to people saying to use ziplock bags and water displacement, and used 2 bags per item because I had my first bag pop open. No leaks in 100+ sous vide packages with this sealer+bag combo.

I buy these. I find that I like having 2 options for the sizes of bags. This way I dont feel like im wasting space with my bags.

Its up too personal preference. They will however work for your machine, as long as there is one side of textured material!

Hope this helps!

This is similar to what I do. I generally do two separate seals and I put each seal through the sealer (the element that actually melts the plastic together) on the "liquid" setting three times.

In general, I use the cheapest bags and rolls from Amazon and I've never had one fail.

These are the bags that I have purchased most recently:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001GP81OK/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01CDY8SOK/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Not bad, comes out to $.35 foot if going with the 4 8"x20' bags. I typically buy [these from amazon] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CPS32MI/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1) which are usually higher quality (thicker) and cost $.25 a foot.

EDIT: These work fine with the foodsaver vacs.

https://www.amazon.com/Houseables-Commercial-Plastic-Airtight-Microwave/dp/B00JESPZZ4/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1537724607&sr=8-13&keywords=vacuum+roll+sous+vide

i could fit a whole brisket in these bags

You can try one of the cheapo brands like FoodVacBags.

I use these bags which are cheaper. The roll doesn't fit into the food saver, but I just open the pack and roll up half of it without a center and stick it in there and it works fine. The unit I linked is meant to use a continuous bag like this and you just seal/cut a bag to size when you use it. I would suspect you could just do the same with what you have, just take it out of the box.

I bought these in April and I've just finished the first roll despite using my joule almost every day.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GG5I5AK/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

They work really well for me.

I buy them on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CQ8IXIK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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150 feet (sorry I stated yards in the original post, but it's feet) for $21.99

Anova is usually on sale for like $80. Works great and simple to use

You can use it in a plastic tub or pot. Also, I use a roll of these and cut them with these.
Vacuum sealers are nice to have but not necessary. You can just use a sturdy ziploc bag and water displacement before sealing. Or you can just clip it to the side of the pot, no sealing necessary.

Just use offbrand foodsaver bags: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00CQ8IXIK?psc=1

Chambervac are $0.08/bag, offbrand foodsaver are $0.125/bag. Yes it's more, but it's 4.5 pennies per bag more - hardly a lot for bags that will actually work with the foodsaver.

(Calculated by using 11"x8" bags from those rolls, which are comparable size to 10"x8" chambervac).

Nope! I use these bags and I've never had that problem.

Every cheaper generic roll I've bought off amazon has been decently thicker/stronger than the food saver brand. Just looked and this is what I got last time: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01CDY8SOK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And here are the bags I bought:
Commercial Bargains 2 Pack 11" x 50' and 8" x 50' Commercial Vacuum Sealer Saver Rolls Food Storage https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GG5I5AK/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_R1bZxb0XARMTW

I do purchase the bags off of Amazon, since we do go through a lot with bulk food purchases. I've used the Food Saver bags in the past, buying them from Costco as referenced by another poster. However, these are very similar in quality and cost far less. There are several different sizes (12" and 8" are my go to).

http://www.amazon.com/Commercial-Bargains-Vacuum-Sealer-Storage/dp/B00GG5I5AK?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00

https://www.amazon.com/Vacuum-Sealers-Unlimited-Heavy-Duty-Commercial/dp/B01CTE7OPI/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1539887460&sr=8-5&keywords=vacuum+sealers+unlimited

I use these for pork shoulders & briskets

https://www.amazon.com/FoodSaver-Expandable-Heat-Seal-Rolls-2-Pack/dp/B00851QSDO/

I've only used the basic food saver model that is available at most stores.

These are the bags I use. They are much less expensive than the food saver brand bags. They aren't as thick, but I haven't had an issue with them.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CQ8IXIK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_PgkDCbP7EANCX

This is a brand I've used and trusted. Not quite as cheap as I said, but there are cheaper options that aren't as thick.

$31.07?

Try these - Foodsaver 11" Expandable Bag roll

I've gotten some big roasts in there.

I use these and these

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DSST17O/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

That's 100 quart bags for the price of 44 of the FoodSaver brand.

I usually pick these up - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I1OM7TO/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

did 48+ hours on these https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01K07MZBO/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Last round I bought these, mostly for sous vide: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01CDY8SOK/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I've also purchased these in the past, but were too small for larger sous vide items: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001GP81OK/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

50 foot roll of 11 inch bags and a 50 foot roll of 8 inch bags for $15-$20, depending on sales.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GG5I5AK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

> https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DSST17O/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Hell yeah, done deal. Thanks

Get these bags. They will last you a long time. Cut them to the size you want.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GG5I5AK?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage

I've been using these guys; you cut out whatever size you need. I've had the same two rolls for close to a year, cost me less that $20

Like this.

That's ~100 gallon sized bags (you cut them yourself) for $18.

Bag rolls are cheap enough that - while I also hate waste - they're so inexpensive that it's usually cheaper for me to vacuum seal, than it is to use something like a ziplock bag.

Make sure to get the 11-inch wide rolls, the 9-inch ones are often just barely too small for for what I want to do.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01K07MZBO/

Standard disclaimer that I'm not promoting any particular brand or seller. There are many nearly-identical items for a nearly identical price on Amazon.

Where did you find that info on the Foodsaver bags?

I just did a Live Chat on their website and they said that their bags are 5 mil (as opposed to the standard 4 mil) and are rated for 185 degrees with no limit on cook time as long as the temp is below that.

That being said, the food vac bags get a lot of love on this sub, and they're 4 mil.

I will be buying those next, but I currently use these and they don't even say how thick they are, but I did Char Sui for a little over 8 hours yesterday with no issue. But that was only at 140.

sadly the bags cost more than the sealer!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CQ8IXIK

I use this Rival model with Seal-a-meal rolls because it's the cheapest option. I've had it for 8.5 months and use it regularly with no problems.
http://www.amazon.com/Rival-Vacuum-Sealer/dp/B004JPU6XI

I got these bags:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GG5I5AK


Overall, not bad for the money. But! I was finding that sometimes, water would ingress through the seams on the sides of the bags, versus the seals made by the vacuum sealer. Easy fix is to go over the edges with the sealer. Took me until I ruined 2 dry aged strip steaks and almost ruined a cap steak before I realized this was the problem.

Yes. I buy meats & fish at Costco, divide them into meals-for-two sizes, then vacuum seal them. I also use the vacuum sealer for sous vide.

These rolls of bags have been working great. I'll cut a salmon side into 3 pieces, plastic wrap them, then seal all 3 in one bag. Cut open, take out 1 piece, reseal. The bag only loses 1" at most. And they are washable and reusable.

I initially had one of the little handheld sealers but I found the vacuum "port" on the bags failed often, they would fall off and of course the vacuum-ability was lost forever and you'd have to throw the bag away (or use it for a non-vacuum purpose).